A/N: This is a rewrite of my original story. I changed a lot of things so the plot would make sense and so I could develop Kyle's character and power a little better so he doesn't come off as a Mary-Sue. Changes made include length of some chapters, setting of the story, a couple of plots, and the time of certain events that hadn't happened yet in my original storyline.
Behind Blue Eyes
Chapter 1: Stupid Is As Stupid Does
The sun shone brightly on a middle school just outside of downtown Seattle. Teens littered the grassy areas around the front, talking, yelling, or waiting for their parents to pick them up. It was another normal day for these kids on their last day of school.
However, the opposite could be said for those in the back of the school. Two figures were seen here: a guy, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, and a girl, standing in front of him with her hands folded in a pleading manner. The girl finally spoke up, choking back a small sob.
"Are you sure?" her voice squeaked. "We can't even try?"
"Yes, I'm sure," the guy shakily replied with one hand gripping the cross around his neck. "How can you expect to take care of one person in a committed relationship when you can't even look after your friends? Sorry, but I don't like people who are only after themselves." He turned to leave when the girl stopped him.
"Please, Kyle. We can make it work, can't we?"
The guy, Kyle, turn to face her again. "When you learn to take care of more than just yourself, then we'll talk. Until then, nothing's going to happen between us. Sorry." The girl shook as tears ran down her face. Kyle went to put a hand on her shoulder, but was promptly stopped when he felt a sharp pain in between his legs and doubled over to the ground. The girl ran off in rage and sadness, leaving the boy to curse himself for not being easier on his rejection.
There's always a social standard in school. If you were popular, it didn't matter what you did, you were always the best person on the planet. If you were anything but popular, you weren't worth anybody's time except for the teachers'. But every now and then you'll come across at least one exception. That kind of student who doesn't have many friends, isn't that popular, and yet still has girls asking him out. This was the case with Kyle Dramorgon.
He didn't really have many friends, partly because of years of constant bullying, but mostly because he knew he could trust his friends when it came to something important, and vice versa. He wasn't really anything special academically speaking, considering his grades always ranged between A's and D's.
But there was one thing he excelled at, which was the cause of his current social status. He had been in Taekwondo for a few years and he was almost ready to test for his black belt. This was a bit of a blessing and a curse for him, as it gave him a lot of unwanted attention, be it in the form of girls who were too full of themselves, or guys looking to beat the heck out of him. Either way, he always wound up on the ground cupping his sensitive parts, or running like a bat out of hell trying to protect said parts. This was a reason for why he didn't have many friends.
Today was a little different for him, though, as it was the last day of school and everyone was getting released for summer vacation. Kyle had been looking forward to this day for a while and he was ready to really start it. He got up from the ground, still walking a little funny, and brushed some of his straight brown hair away from his deep blue eyes as he began his walk to Taekwondo. He turned on his MP3 Player and pressed the music icon, which immediately went to the song 'Just to Get High' by Nickleback. As he walked, he began to sing along quietly, until he felt his phone vibrate about halfway through the second verse. He paused the song, and pulled out his phone, looking at the caller ID before flipping it open and answering.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Hey kid, you on your way home yet?" a deeper male voice asked.
"I'm on my way to Taekwondo right now. After that I'll be home, why?"
"I'm just making sure. You still have to figure out what you're doing for high school, and I plan on helping with it." Kyle cringed at the thought.
"It's fine, Dad, I can do it myself."
"Oh…Okay then. About how long until you're home?"
"I'll be home in a few hours, so I'll see you then." He closed his phone, pressed play on his MP3 player, and continued walking, but this time, a little slower.
Kyle's relationship with his father wasn't exactly a good one. It began to go downhill after he married another woman after his biological mother went missing. But he still loved his father all the same, and tried his best in school, Taekwondo, and anything else that he did.
Before she went missing, she gave him a wooden, Celtic cross that he always wore. The center was surrounded with a silver ring on the outer parts while the actual center was covered with two jewels arranged in a yin-yang like fashion, one red, and the other orange. He never took it off, because he felt like it would be like letting go of his mother's memory, and there was no way in heck he was going to do that. That and it's not like he could take it off even if he wanted to. He'd tried multiple times in his elementary days, but never succeeded so he just gave up on trying.
That was almost eight years ago. Now here he was, nearly 15 years old and ready for high school while his father continuously acts like nothing happened.
Kyle looked at his watch and his eyes widened. "CRAP! I'M GONNA BE LATE!" he panicked as he sped off.
"Charyut," a first degree black belt yelled, "Kookie Ke Kyung-ye." The class placed a hand over their heart in response. "Baro. Class, charyut! Kwangjang-nim ke kyung-ye."
"Kamsa Hamnae Da." The class responded as they bowed.
"Good job today, everybody," the academy Master bowed back. She was a pleasant Korean woman with short black hair that stopped below her chin in the front while the back was tied up in a bun. She wore a black and gold Dobak(1) and a 7th degree black belt. "Class dismissed." The class scattered to get their belongings and head home, when the master stopped one student. "Hold on, Kyle. I want to talk to you."
"Is something wrong, Master Yin?" Kyle asked, confused. He wore a white Dobak with the school logo on the left side of the chest and on the back, along with a belt that was half red and half black, or Bo Black "I was told that I had Koryo and Kwang Gae down to the point where I can use them in the next tournament."
She smiled, "That's not what I want to talk about. Come into my office so we can talk." She walked out of the main area, each step like a graceful bound, toward the office area.
Seriously, how the heck is she that graceful? Kyle thought as he followed her, Even with Taekwondo, that level of grace shouldn't even be humanly possible. Though he'd been going to Taekwondo at Master Yin's Academy for about 5 years, it never ceased to amaze him how graceful she was.
Master Yin leaned on her desk facing him. He took a seat and spoke up.
"So, what'd you want to talk to me about?" he asked, getting a weird feeling in the pit of stomach.
"I hear that today was your last day of middle school." She replied casually.
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Have you decided where you're going for high school?"
"Not exactly. I wasn't gonna think about it till I got home." Kyle shrugged, "But I'm hoping there'll be at least one place that'll have actual expectations instead of one of those crappy ones where you only have to show up for the whole year to earn credit."
Master Yin chuckled, "I can see why you'd say something like that. Then if I may offer a suggestion, there is one school I know of that may have the expectations you're looking for."
"What school is that?" Kyle perked up curiously.
"It's called Yokai Academy. The thing is, you'd have to dust off your Japanese in order to go and not look like a 6-year-old White Belt."
"It's in Japan? Would I have to be a part of some exchange program or something?"
"No, you won't. Yokai Academy is a special school, where only special people get the chance to apply. But I have a feeling you'll be one of those people."
"Why do you say that?" Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"You're a special person yourself. However, only time will tell if you're special enough for that school. Keep it in mind as a back-up plan."
Kyle thought for a moment before responding. "You always seem to give good advice, and it's helped me in the past." He looked back at his master and smiled. "I'll keep that school in mind for now."
Master Yin walked around her desk to her chair and took a seat. "Where did you hope to go for high school?"
"I'm not sure. Like I said before, I was gonna think about it when I got home."
"Alright then, you can go home now. And keep up the practice so you can test for your black belt in a few weeks."
Kyle stood up and bowed. "Yes, ma'am. See you later then." He walked out the door to gather his stuff and walk home. Master Yin stayed in her office and looked down at her paperwork with a serious expression.
If only you knew how special you were, Kyle, she thought.
Kyle's walk home wasn't interesting for him, as he took the scenic path near the highway that cut through a small forest regularly. He instead focused on what Master Yin had told him.
What did she mean when she said I might be special enough for that academy? I mean, it's just a school where the education is higher, right? He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt his phone vibrating again. He pulled it out as "Radioactive" let him know who was calling. The caller ID read "Jackson (Bro)". He smiled as he answered the call.
"Hey, bro," Kyle greeted with a smile.
"What's up, Bonehead?" his brother, Jackson greeted. "I hear you're almost ready to test for your black belt."
"That's what Master Yin says. I've got both Koryo and Kwang Gae down, and according to her, I'll be ready to test in a few weeks. I'm excited for it."
"That's good. You always gotta work hard, no matter how tough it gets."
"I wouldn't have made it this far if it wasn't for that phrase right there."
"Are you out of school yet?"
"Yeah, today was my last day. I had a popular girl confess to me today."
"Oh, did you take her?" Jackson chuckled.
"No, I don't deal with stuck up chicks like that. I did earn a kick in the nuts for rejecting her, though."
"Dude, you can't be picky with your women. If a girl confesses to you, you're supposed to take them."
Kyle frowned at this. "But my question is how can they care for someone intimately when they barely even care about their friends? Things just don't work like that."
"Oh well, whatever you say, kid."
"I'm on my way home now, so I'll see you in a few minutes."
"Alright, I'll talk to you then, Pipsqueak."
"Bye, Chucklehead." Kyle closed his phone and continued down the path, chuckling at his weird relationship with his brother.
He may be a little harsh sometimes Kyle thought, but he's a good leader. When I get home, I'll be talking to him about what to do for next year.
He soon turned his MP3 Player back on and touched the music symbol, making it pick up where it left off on the song "Fee Ra Huri" by Omnia. Tapping his hands on his legs as he walked, he began to mimic the drum part of the song.
This continued for another 10 songs before he realized he was near his house. He turned off his music and walked through the front door, sighing.
"I'm home!" he yelled as he went upstairs to his room.
"How was school, Kyle?" a female voice asked. This voice belonged to Kyle's step mother.
"Fine, Mom. Hey, if anyone needs me I'll be upstairs." Kyle's relationship with his stepmother wasn't a bad one, but it wasn't exactly good either. He still respected her like he would his biological mother, but he usually kept contact with her down to a minimum, due to not exactly liking the fact that his father remarried.
With that, he shut his bedroom door, tossed his backpack aside, and flopped down on his bed. He didn't roll around, stretch, or anything. He simply stared up at the ceiling reflecting on the events of the past day.
Rejecting a stuck up girl and earning a kick in the nuts, an awesome day at Taekwondo, and a frankly boring last day of school. This is not going as well as I thought it would. But at least I can look forward to talking with Jackson about where I should go for high school. As if on cue, Kyle's door opened to reveal a bulky, lanky young man with dirty blond hair, blue eyes and a mischievous, toothy grin.
"Wassap, bro bro?" Jackson said as he waved.
"Not much, man," Kyle replied with a grin of his own. "Hey, where did you go for high school?"
Jackson thought for a moment, "Me? I went to Bethel. Why, having problems figuring out where to go?"
Kyle's face scrunched up in thought. "Kind of. I want to go someplace where you have to actually work to earn the credit instead of just showing up for classes and goofing off. But my options are kind of limited without me becoming an exchange student."
"What all are your options?"
"Whatever applications come over break, I guess. If nothing else, I can either try to get into Honor classes in one of the local schools, or I can try applying for a school recommended by Master Yin."
"What school is that?" Jackson asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Some special Japanese school called Yokai Academy or something. If the application comes for that school, it'll be my Plan B.
"Well, I don't know what to say, kid. Just trust your instincts when the time comes."
"Thanks for the advice." Kyle replied with a hint of sarcasm and a small smirk. "Hey, you wanna play some DmC?" He asked as he motioned to the Xbox 360 in the room.
"Nah, I gotta go clean up job site and bid another job tomorrow, so I need to rest up." Jackson sighed dejectedly.
"Alright then, Mr. Mighty Manly Logger. When I test for my First Dan(2), will you be there?" Kyle stared at his brother with hope in his eyes.
"I can't really make any promises, but I'll try my best to attend when you have a set date." Jackson walked out of the room leaving Kyle to set up his game and kill time.
Kyle had just gotten up to the boss fight with the Succubus, before he was called down for dinner. He'd fought this boss before, but his thoughts every time were something along the lines of, Man is that UUUUUGLYYY. I sincerely hope that doesn't become a canon appearance for what an actual succubus looks like…
He walked downstairs into the Dining room, where his stepmother, father, and Jackson sat around the table. He sat down as everyone began to dish themselves up. Kyle served himself a scoop of mashed potatoes, green beans, and turkey with gravy. He ate slowly while his dad talked with his mother about what happened at her job as a school nurse.
"But what I don't understand," Kyle's father said with his mouth partially full, "is how someone can actually get their shoe stuck in someone else's mouth. I mean, wouldn't they need an operation to remove it?"
"Not this kid," Kyle's step mother replied. "He comes in with something stuck where it shouldn't be all the time. Just yesterday he had a wad of socks shoved up his-"
"Excuse me," Kyle interrupted, "We're eating here?"
"You've seen worse, haven't you?" Jackson teased.
"And I just saw it before we started eating." Kyle snapped.
"You fought the succubus again, didn't you?"
"I was bored and killing time, what do you expect?"
"So Kyle," his father began, changing the subject, "Do you know where you're going for High School?"
Kyle shrugged, "No, but I'll start deciding when the applications come in." There's one I'll especially be on the lookout for…
"Well, ok then. If you need help deciding, then I'm willing to do so." Kyle's father said enthusiastically.
"Um…alright…" Kyle hesitantly answered, then got up from his seat. "I'm done." He took his now empty plate and rinsed it off before sticking it in the dishwasher. He then went back up to his room, got his pajamas, and went to take a shower.
That night, while Kyle got ready for bed, he got the feeling he was being watched. He put his guard up as he looked out the window of his room, only to find a crow, on the small balcony rail outside his room. It looked at him and squawked before flying off into the night. Kyle looked around outside one more time before shrugging and going back inside his room. He walked over to his CD player, pressed the play button, hit the switch on his lamp, shutting it off, and immediately went to sleep.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dead forest with many monsters surrounding them. If he wasn't creeped out by this, he was definitely scared.
He felt something in his arms and look down. He found he was holding the injured form of a VERY beautiful girl. Her yellow sweater vest hugged every curve she had and showed off her remarkably large bust. In short, she was Kyle's ideal type.
He soon noticed she was also clutching a wound on her side that bled profusely. Kyle turned to look at her face, but he couldn't make anything out except her mouth and bright blue hair. She hissed in pain as she applied pressure to her wound.
"What happened to you?" Kyle tried to ask. But the girl didn't answer. He was about to try again, when the girl gasped and pointed behind him. He heard slow footsteps and turned to see a black, winged, humanoid-like monster with silver hair and two very pronounced canine fangs peeking out of its mouth walking toward them slowly.
Kyle couldn't explain what he felt right then. It wasn't fear, anger, or even determination. He just felt…sympathetic toward the monster, whatever it was. It growled something just loud enough so he could know he said something, but not loud enough to understand. He looked back at the girl who began to smile slightly, despite her pain, and whispered something for him to hear.
"Anata no tasuke, kairu o arigatō." At that, she lost consciousness, making him go wide eyed as he tried to wake her back up. He shook her, and lightly smacked her face to make her wake back up, but to no avail.
The footsteps behind him got louder as the black monster from earlier stood over him and the unconscious girl. The monster lunged, making Kyle jerk back and close his eyes.
Kyle jerked up in his bed in a cold sweat, breathing very heavily, and looked around in confusion. He sighed as he tried to catch his breath and looked at his clock, which read 8:34 am. He debated getting up and eating breakfast or going back to sleep, and decided on the former, since he knew he'd just get woken up by one of the other members of his family in another hour.
After getting a robe on so he could warm up, he shuffled tiredly downstairs into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of cereal. As he ate, he began to think about his dream.
Why did it seem so real? Is it a prediction of the future? He paused a moment. Nah, I highly doubt it. But what made it seem that way? Who was that girl? How did she know my name? And what did she say to me?
The phrase was still fresh in his mind as he continued eating. Off the top of his head, he could understand a couple of the words, because of the Japanese lessons he took when he was little, but the rest of it made no sense to him. He soon finished up his breakfast and put his bowl in the sink. After quickly getting dressed, he went to the main computer of the house, located in the living room.
He entered the password, and opened up Chrome and searched the phrase he heard in his dream on the Translator. Except the translation made him even more confused, and raised even more questions about his dream.
'Thanks for your help, Kairu'? The heck is that supposed to mean? I know 'Kairu' is that Japanese translation of my name and all, but what the heck does it mean?
Kyle's thoughts were interrupted when a hand slapped itself on his shoulder. He jumped and turned to see Jackson with a small smirk on his face.
"Morning, kid," he greeted.
"Morning, bro," Kyle replied dryly.
"Whatcha lookin' up?"
"You'd laugh at me if I told you."
"I laugh at you all the time, because I'm your brother. Now what's up?"
Kyle smirked a little bit before responding. "Alright here's the deal," He began before putting a straight face on. "I had a weird dream last night where I was protecting this super gorgeous girl from a hoard of monsters and she was injured and losing a lot of blood. One monster began to step forward slowly, but I didn't feel scared or confident. I just felt sympathy for it. I looked back at the girl and she said a Japanese phrase before she lost consciousness. The thing is, this dream felt like it was really happening and the phrase she said essentially meant she was thanking me for my help. So not only am I confused about the dream but I'm also confused at why she'd say something like that when I have no clue what I did!" Kyle took in a huge gulp of air before settling down again.
Jackson's smirk disappeared while Kyle was talking. He wore a straight face and processed the information given to him before turning back to his younger brother.
"I don't really get it myself, but I do know this," Jackson motioned to Kyle. "Come closer."
Kyle nodded and moved so that Jackson was whispering in his ear.
Jackson whispered quietly, "You may have either dreamed about a future event, or you really need to lay off the DmC."
Kyle stared at his brother with a face that already gave his unspoken thoughts. Are you freaking kidding me right now?
"I'm being serious here, Jackson!"
"So am I," Jackson replied nonchalantly. "Dreams are weird like that, bro. You never know what's gonna happen in them." Kyle's expression softened just a little as he thought about what Jackson said. "By the way, did you get the mail, yesterday?"
"I thought one of you guys did." Kyle stared at his brother before sighing. "Alright, fine, I'll get it."
He got up from the computer and grabbed a coat before going outside to the mailbox. When he made outside and opened the mailbox, he noticed quite a few envelopes addressed to him from different schools. He slowly walked back inside while examining the envelopes, noticing a slightly larger yellow envelope in the bunch. He stared at it curiously before reaching the front door.
As he entered, Jackson greeted him in his usual tone. "Whatcha got there, bonehead?"
"Boy these guys work fast..." Kyle muttered to himself. "It might be for preparation purposes, but there are a lot of high school applications here. Some of these aren't even in the Seattle School District. Bethel, Orting, Puyallup, these schools are an hour and a half away! I don't even know why they sent applications here."
"What about that yellow one there?" Jackson asked. "It looks fairly big for an application alone."
Kyle examined it before responding. "This is…This is from the school Master Yin recommended to me as a Plan B; Yokai Academy!"
"Wait, lemme see that for a minute." Jackson said, snatching the yellow envelope from his younger brother. "This place is out in Japan, bro. Why would a place out there send an application all the way out here?"
"Master Yin mentioned that. She said I wouldn't be a part of any exchange program or anything like that because it's a special school for special people. I have no clue what she meant when she said I might be special enough for this school though."
"Then I guess it's a good thing you chose it as a Plan B, huh?"
"I guess." Kyle carefully opened the envelope and took out the application, which turned out to be a packet instead of a single form. He read over the information given, mouthing the words to himself before giving Jackson an idea of how the school operated.
"So according to this packet," he began, "It's a school that has a high school education system, but has the student in dorms like a boarding school. I guess that's part of what makes it special? It also says that students are given opportunities to challenge themselves, be it socially, academically, or physically. What's bugging me, however, is how vague it is. Just by reading the words, I can already tell there's something fishy about it, but that's probably just me."
"Alright, so you've got your Plan B," Jackson stated, "but what's your Plan A?"
"Still working on it." Kyle frowned as he looked over the other applications. They brochures stapled to the applications showing off pictures of the schools, smiling students and faculty, and the outside courtyards.
Of course they don't tell you about the idiots who bully everybody else to make themselves feel better. Kyle looked on at the other brochures as they all showed the same things, and figured there was no better option than Yokai Academy.
"Going with Plan B from the start, huh?" Jackson piped up.
"Yeah," Kyle replied dryly. "None of the others look like they're entirely truthful in their brochure, plus Yokai Academy looks intriguing. Something about it just isn't all that it seems, and it shows in all the vague sentences in the brochure."
"Well, it's not like you have much of a choice. If you need me, I'll be getting ready to go to work." Jackson walked upstairs, leaving Kyle by himself to fill out the application.
Alright, time to get working…
Kyle's summer vacation came and went fairly quickly. About a week after submitting his application, a package came from the school and in it was an acceptance form, along with a school uniform. He got a summer part time job at the Café Elite espresso stand near his house and racked up some money before the school year began for him. He also began to talk in Japanese more as preparation for school, and he eventually started sounding like a native.
But the time for him to leave came fairly quickly, and in Kyle's mind, it couldn't have come soon enough. He stood in his room, decked out in his uniform, and looked at himself in the mirror one last time. His tan slacks stopped right below his ankles, nearly covering the black sneakers he always wore. His top half consisted of a white dress shirt, a green coat and a red tie. His cross hung around his neck, over the tie, and in the center of his sternum.
His hair dropped in front of his eyes again, and he brushed it off to the side. He sighed, grabbed his packed suitcases, and headed out of his room to find his family standing at the door. Kyle eyed them and smiled.
"Don't worry," he said, "I'll be back in about 6 months, if not a year." He hugged his brother first, patting him on the back three times before letting go.
"You at least gotta call or write to us," Jackson smiled, "You got that, kid?"
"Loud and clear, bro." Kyle replied. He then hugged his step mother, who sobbed saying the thing any parent would say when their kid went away for the first time.
"I'll miss you, Kyle." She choked.
"I'll miss you too, Mom. I'll be back before you know it, just wait." He then turned to his father, but instead of hugging him, he held out a hand to shake. "When I graduate, I'm gonna start looking for her." He shook his father's hand, grabbed his bags, and left for the appointed bus stop.
Kyle jerked awake as the dream from the beginning of his summer played through his mind yet again. This was the fifth time he'd seen this dream all summer, and he was pretty sure he was starting to see visions from the future, but he couldn't explain why.
Sighing, he looked out the window to see where he was. Different buildings and Japanese characters covered his view as the bus continued on the freeway. He pulled an ear bud from his ear and asked the bus driver how close they were to the school.
"I don't mean to pester like a kid," he said in Japanese, "But how far from the school are we?"
"We got about another 30 minutes kid." The bus driver's scratchy, gruff voice sounded with a creepy laugh. Kyle shuddered every time the bus driver spoke, but kept his focus on his MP3 Player and the outside world. The bus driver's voice caught his attention again. "You a freshman at Yokai Academy?"
"Uh…yeah?" Kyle put up his guard, just in case something happened.
"Keep on your guard kid. This is a very scary school."
"Thanks for the advice…I guess…"
"You're American, right, kid?"
"What of it?" Kyle stood up and began to get defensive.
"You're pretty lucky, getting to enroll after they just started." The bus driver spoke in English that time.
"How long ago did you guys start?" Kyle slightly lowered his guard.
"About two weeks ago. Your uniform was harder to ship due to being in a different country."
"Well, that's the postal system for you." Kyle chuckled a bit at his own remark.
"You may want to take your seat again, kid. We're gonna enter a long tunnel." Kyle took his seat again as the bus entered huge tunnel.
He smiled as he whispered a quote from one of the games he had, "Somebody turn on the lights! I can't see shit!" and laughed to himself. Not 5 seconds after finishing that quote did the tunnel get a little brighter, but not from daylight. He looked outside and nearly had a seizure as the inside of the tunnel twisted and swirled a rainbow of colors like an LSD trip that would make Willy Wonka very jealous. Kyle looked for another twenty seconds before looking back to the inside of the bus.
I really hope that doesn't cause a seizure for anyone who comes through. Kyle continued to look down as the bus continued down the tunnel for another 5 minutes. He soon noticed the bus starting to get brighter and looked ahead to see a little white dot that slowly got bigger.
"We're coming out of the tunnel now, kid," the bus driver warned. Kyle picked himself up and walked toward the front seat where he sat back down and waited. Soon the light at the end of the tunnel became the scenery of what looked to be a Japanese horror film gone horribly wrong. The sky was a deep shade of orange, and the lake nearby, an even deeper shade of red. Kyle gawked at his surroundings as the bus came to a stop in front of a scarecrow with a pumpkin head holding a sign that said "Yokai Academy" in Kanji. He grabbed his bags out from under his seat and stepped outside, darting his eyes for anything to jump out at him.
"Well," he mused dryly, "This is welcoming..."
"You best behave yourself, kid." Kyle turned around and saw the bus driving back into the tunnel. Hope you're prepared to face what you don't know, kid, the bus driver thought. It'll come back to bite you if you aren't.
Kyle sighed as he kept his guard up. He then looked down the trail into the dead forest, picked up his bags, and began walking, slowly and on watch for anything.
To say the school was huge was an understatement. The school itself looked like a very fancy Victorian style mansion that was at least 3 stories high and covered in different shades of white, black, and blue. In addition to that, there were also two buildings next to it that almost looked abandoned, if not for the crowds of students that came in and out of them.
Kyle gawked at the scene in front of him for a few minutes, before he snapped out of his stupor and walked toward the school again. As he walked, he began to get some strange looks and hear some whispers.
"Hey who's that kid?"
"Did he just get here?"
"How did he even get here if the bus doesn't run for another month?"
The whispers continued while Kyle ignored them and turned up his MP3 Player while it played 'Devil's Dance Floor' by Flogging Molly. He soon made it up to the front door and entered, breathing a huge sigh of relief when he made it in. He soon went to find the Headmaster's office so he could talk about his room and his class schedule.
Unknown to him, he was being watched by a shadowy figure hiding behind a pillar. The figure grinned maliciously before disappearing behind the pillar.
It didn't take long to find the office, as it was close to the entrance of the school. Kyle took the time to pause his music, then took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened with a creak and Kyle entered, keeping his guard up for anything.
The room itself was fairly dark with a few lit candles here and there along the walls. A desk stood at the very end of the room, right in front of a window, giving a panoramic view of the area around the school. It was pretty breath taking, if not a little creepy. A voice caught his attention and made him drop his guard for a second.
"It's nice to see you finally made it, Mr. Dramorgon." Kyle looked over the desk to see a man in white robes that covered everything except his face, standing with his arms behind his back. Around the man's neck hung a 7 decade rosary that seemed to command a sense of respect. In Kyle's mind, however, he looked like a nun in white robes instead of black or blue.
"Sorry I'm a couple weeks late," Kyle bowed, "but according to the bus driver, my uniform was a little harder to ship because of the different countries."
"Then let me be the first to welcome you to Yokai Academy. I'm sure you had your doubts about coming here?"
Kyle smirked, "The brochure was super vague, plus the place is out in Japan, but doesn't require you to be part of an exchange program. That's totally not suspicious at all." He then straightened out. "But in all seriousness, this was actually my Plan B so to speak."
"I take it then, you've had previous experience with, shall we say, less than medium expectations?"
"You could say that." Kyle shrugged. "So, here's my question. Why did I have to come here before anything got started?"
The Headmasters smile never faltered. "Because you started after everyone else, we needed to make sure you knew how things worked before you got settled."
"Essentially, the normal rules like 'No Fighting', 'No Drugs', and 'No PDA's', right?"
"Yes, but then there's also the matter of what kind of school this is. You'll have to figure out how special it is on your own. Though, you may not believe it at first, it will come to be one of the biggest secrets of your life. That's all I have to say."
Kyle gawked, unsure of how to follow that. The Headmaster chuckled and put two pieces of paper in front of him, along with a key.
"The number on the small piece of paper is your room number, along with the key. The bigger piece is your class schedule. Keep it safe and memorize it."
"Alright then, is that all?" Kyle asked, taking the papers and key.
"Yes. You'll have another ten minutes to get your stuff to your room, but then you must hurry because classes will start when the bell rings."
"Got it. Talk to you later, sir!" Kyle left a dust cloud in his wake as he tore off to find the dorms.
Kyle's room was located on the third floor of the boys' dormitory. It wasn't much, just a small room with a kitchen area and a bathroom, but it was spacious enough to keep personal items and not feel cramped. A small bed was in the far corner of the room, right below a window overlooking the school's courtyard.
Kyle set his bags down and looked around the room, inspecting it. Finding no problems, he began unpacking some of his essentials and placed them where he knew he'd find them. He placed his toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom and his snacks, which he brought for the long bus ride, on the counter in the kitchen area. Deciding he didn't have enough time to unpack fully, he ran back to the main school area to make his first class.
As he ran, he looked at his watch to see how much time he had left. Crap, he thought, I can't be any later than I technically already am! He was so concentrated on making it to class, that he almost didn't notice the girl in front of him. He looked up from his watch and had no time to react as he crashed into her head on. He landed in a crumpled heap a few feet away from the girl, who just landed on her butt.
"I'd like to go with 'Idiotic Moments' for $200, Alex." He mumbled as he lay in a daze. The girl looked at him confusedly as she got up and dusted herself off.
"Are you feeling alright?" She asked in Japanese.
Kyle shook his head to clear it. "That hurt…" was his response as he sat up. He opened his eyes and took a look at who he crashed into, going wide eyed in the process.
The girl in front of him wore a yellow sweater vest in place of the normal green coat and a plaid skirt instead of pants, and it showed off her very well developed figure. The thing that struck Kyle most, however, was her bright blue hair tied back in a ponytail and held with a lace ribbon. Just like the girl in his dream.
Kyle stood up and bowed. "Gomenesai!" he apologized. "I wasn't watching where I was going, but that's because I'm going to be late if I don't hurry." He paused a moment before freaking out even more. "FUDGE MUFFINS, I GOTTA GO!" He sped off, leaving a human sized dust cloud in front of the surprised girl.
"He's cute…" she muttered, "but what an idiot."
Kyle leaned against the wall near his classroom, panting as quietly as he could while the bell signaling the start of class rang. He straightened himself out and began to breathe a little slower, trying to get his heart rate down. Soon enough, he got his breathing back to normal and prepared to open the door when he heard the teacher calling roll. The teacher got to his name, though he couldn't exactly understand it very well (give the guy a break, he's still getting used to Japanese), and when she muttered something else, he opened the door.
"Um, is this Ms. Nekonome's class?" he sheepishly asked.
"Hai," the teacher replied cheerfully. She wore a short skirt and a spaghetti strap tank top that left nothing to the imagination. She also had dirty blond hair with two tufts that looked like cat ears on the top. "And who may I ask are you?" she asked.
"My name's Kyle Dramorgon. I was just making sure I had the right class."
"Oh good! It's nice that you could finally join us. I'm Ms. Nekonome, and welcome to my class. Why not tell the class a little bit about yourself?"
Kyle stood awkwardly in the front of the class, taking a deep breath to calm himself back down. "I'm from America and I play a lot of video games. I don't know exactly what else to say other than I'm still getting used to the language here, so cut me a little slack if I say something wrong."
"Alright then, go ahead and take your seat anywhere you like, and we'll continue with the class." Kyle did so and Ms. Nekonome resumed her lesson.
"Just so our newest student is up to speed, I'll give a shortened version of the introduction from two weeks ago. This school is a special school made by monsters, for monsters."
Kyle went wide eyed as he noticed Ms. Nekonome's tail peeked out from under her skirt. Am I on some kind of drug and I just misheard that, or is she actually telling the truth?
"Humans currently dominate the world, so we have to learn to coexist peacefully with them. So while you're at this school, you will stay in your human form, and not reveal your true form to anyone else."
Kyle put on a poker face while he freaked out internally. Either this is a really good prank, or I'm on some kind of drug that doesn't feel like a drug. Yeah, I'm gonna go with the second one. I mean, there's no real way monsters exist outside of fiction…right?
Kyle looked around the room discreetly, getting a good look at the other students. They looked bored out of their minds like they'd heard this speech over 1000 times. Only one kid looked as startled as him, but wasn't very good at hiding it. He sat in front of Kyle if he were one row to the left and had short brown hair that looked a little unruly. The main thing that caught Kyle's attention was the look in the guy's brown eyes. Unlike the rest of the kids, he looked like he was about to pee his pants, which was almost the same level of fear that Kyle was feeling. But the look in his eye had a sort of protective feel to them.
The rest of the class continued on with lessons on how to keep yourself from getting found out in the human world. Not that Kyle was paying attention, since most of the stuff they talked about was common sense to him. Instead he started questioning the legitimacy of the whole 'school for monsters' thing.
Well, I don't know about that kid, but everyone else looks like they're actually learning something… which is kinda surprising. They look like normal kids, but… He then stiffened, feeling eyes on him. Looking around the room one more time, he saw about half the boys in class were giving him death glares while about a quarter of the girls were giggling and whispering, throwing a couple glances his way. He didn't know whether to fear for his life or blush at the attention he was getting. He decided it would be better to try and focus on his work for the time being.
Classes went fairly smoothly, making Kyle's suspicions that he was on some kind of drug less plausible. He currently stood outside a vending machine with a can of sprite in his hands, deep in thought. He had a free period on his schedule, and he was using it to mull over the way the school operates. What Ms. Nekonome said earlier that morning had struck him as messed up when he first heard it. But as he thought it over, some of the weird things he'd seen in between classes made a little more sense because of that reason.
One such occurrence was while he was out in the hall, on his way to one of his classes.
*Flashback*
"Hey! You're Moka Akashiya, right? Rumor has it you're a vampire." Kyle jerked his head to see a pink haired girl in the full girl's academy uniform. He followed her gaze up to see the blue haired girl from earlier, sitting on the railing of the stairs with her legs crossed, almost seductively, and a smirk on her face. It was the latter who spoke.
"I wonder if those rumors are true." She added before jumping down and landing gracefully on her feet, giving any other person in the hall a perfect view of her choice in underwear. The guys around the area started whooping like cowboys when they saw, while Kyle simply face-palmed.
It's girls like that that make me sick. He thought. Why do girls insist on using their assets to draw in guys like that?
Kyle soon began to walk off, not caring about the chick fight that might've ensued there, but not before hearing the girl's introduction.
"I'm the Succubus, Kurumu Kurono, and I'm declaring war on you, Moka!"
And that's why I hate the stuck up chicks like that… although, she is pretty hot…Kyle shook his head, Get your mind out of the gutter, you idiot! There is a very small likelihood of ever going out with a girl like that.
*End Flashback*
Why is the monster thing so popular here? I mean, they aren't real…are they? He sighed. Oh well, no use worrying about it right now.
Kyle began to aimlessly wander the school, walking through the halls, exploring different sections he hadn't had time to before, and eventually finding himself out in the courtyard, surrounded by walls and trees alike. He sat down on a nearby bench and began to do what he normally did when he was bored and didn't have a game to play: Sing.
*Meanwhile*
The blue haired girl from earlier, Kurumu, had been walking down the hallway, silently celebrating her victory over Moka. Her plan to utterly humiliate her by taking her friend Tsukune was a success, to the point where it made the other girl start crying.
I can't believe it, she thought, I actually made her cry! This day can't possibly get any better! She managed to walk outside so she could celebrate out loud, but stopped herself when she heard a voice.
And if the night is burning
I will cover my eyes
For if the dark returns
Then my brothers will die
She began to look around, seeing where the distinctly male voice was coming from.
And as the sky is falling down
It crashed into this lonely town
And with that shadow upon the ground
I hear my people screaming out
She followed the voice, wondering who it could belong to, and if she had charmed them yet.
Now I see fire
Inside the mountains
I see fire
Burning the trees
I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
She finally spotted the voice, or rather the person with the voice, his brown hair almost completely covering his deep blue eyes. It was the same idiot who rammed into her earlier that morning. She hid herself behind a nearby tree and continued to listen.
I see fire (oh you know I saw a city burning)
And I see fire (feel the heat upon my skin, yeah)
And I see fire (oo-oo-oo-oo)
And I see fire burn auburn on the mountain side
The song ended and Kurumu was tempted to applaud him. His voice was, in her mind anyway, like hearing a famous singer at a concert, only without the squealing fangirls. In reality, however, it was like listening to a guy who just plain knew how to sing. She knew, however, that if she revealed herself, she'd have to charm him and see if he was actually worth having around. That's when the gears in her head began to turn.
A small smirk spread across her face as she made her plan.
Kyle was about to sing one more song when he looked at his watch and saw that his free period was almost over. He stood up and walked toward the door leading into the school. Or at least he would've made it all the way, if he wasn't taken down to the ground again, landing on his back.
What is it with me and crashing into people today, Kyle thought as he tried to get up. It was then he realized there was something (or rather, some-ONE) on top of him. He opened his eyes that shut when he landed and looked to see who it was. He saw the blue haired girl from the hall, sprawled across him, with one of her legs in between his and pressing her massive…massive…massive…Dang, she really must be trying to—Kyle shook his head, FOCUS YOU IDIOT! Kyle poked the girl's back to get her attention.
"Um…Excuse me," he sheepishly began while blushing bright red, "You're kind of lying on top of me, and I'd like to get up now…" The girl opened her violet eyes and looked at Kyle, causing him blush even more.
"Sorry about that," she groaned as she sat up, straddling one of Kyle's legs. "I felt dizzy and I couldn't see where I was going for a minute."
"It's alright." Kyle's blush lightened, though not by much. "Um…this is kind of awkward."
"I also have problems with my breasts," she crooned as she lifted her assets.
"Saywhatnow?" Kyle went wide eyed as his blush deepened again. At this point, he wasn't sure if he would pass out from blood loss because of how hard he was blushing.
"They feel like they're gonna burst!" She started pushing her bust into his face.
Custody of the eyes, custody of the eyes, custody of the eyes, Kyle repeatedly chanted in his head as he slammed his eyes shut.
"My name's Kurumu. Will you be my friend?"
Kyle opened his eyes and looked into hers, immediately feeling a little lightheaded. "Of course, princess," he answered in a monotone voice. "My name's Kyle."
What the heck was that? Kyle thought as he bowed.
"Ooooh, aren't you a gentleman?" she giggled.
"I live to please and admire you, princess." What the hell was that? That's nowhere close to what I wanted to say! "Possibly more if you're willing." This was accompanied by a smirk and a waggling of eyebrows. GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER, MORON!
The shenanigans with a charmed Kyle continued for another few minutes, ranging from the cute to the downright perverted stuff. But those few minutes passed as Kyle regained control over his actions and what came out of his mouth.
"Kyle," Kurumu purred, "I heard you singing earlier. Will you sing another song for me?"
"Of course," Kyle answered emotionlessly, making her think she still had control. "I know the perfect song for you." Kurumu sat on the bench nearby to listen while Kyle sang.
Feel your every heartbeat
Feel you on these empty nights
Calm the ache, stop the shakes
You clear my mind
You're my escape
From this messed up place
'Cause you let me forget
You numb my pain
Kyle's voice increased in volume and intensity, making Kurumu's eyes widen in amazement.
How can I tell you just all that you are
What you do to me
You're better than drugs
Your love is like wine
Feel you comin' on so fast
Feel you comin' to get me high
You're better than drugs
Addicted for life
Feel you comin' on so fast
Feel you comin' on to get me high
Kurumu stared in awe as Kyle sang, every word speaking to her. He's definitely a candidate, she thought. He's got a good voice, but he's also a huge idiot. That's easily fixable, though.
"By the way, princess," Kyle said after he finished his song, "I appreciate the compliment on my singing. Though I'd prefer it if you'd do it when I wasn't being controlled."
Kurumu's eyes widened. "Wha-when did you break free?" she stammered.
"Before I sang 'Better Than Drugs'. I'll admit you've got good skill with that kind of weapon, but the question is why did you use it in the first place, Ms. Succubus?"
"How did you know what I am?"
"One, I've done my research and the only monsters that can charm people with just a look are those in the succubus family, and two, I heard you introduce yourself when you declared war on that pink haired girl-before I walked away out of boredom. But my question still stands; why did you do it?"
Kurumu stared at the ground, dumbfounded. Not only had this guy figured out whom and what she was, but he was able to resist her charm and fool her into thinking it lasted longer. She began processing his question, debating whether or not she should answer it.
"I…" she began, "I'm just doing what I can for my species!" she ran from the courtyard with tears in her eyes. Kyle stood in his spot, berating himself for not being more subtle.
The end of the day came quickly for Kyle, and he couldn't be more thankful. He wanted to try and find Kurumu so he could apologize for coming off as rude. When the bell rang, he began his search. Unfortunately, it wasn't going so well. He looked everywhere in the school, from the classrooms to the courtyard, and had no luck. The next place he checked was the dorms, which sadly, also wasn't successful. He was running out of ideas of where she could be and began to worry.
He was about to check the nurse's office when a loud crash caught his attention. He ran back outside to see where it came from and immediately paled. The first thing that caught his eye was a long row of trees, knocked over like a huge bowling ball rolled through. He'd have kept on staring in shock at the wreckage before him, had not another crash occurred near him.
He saw dust rise in a newly cleared forest area with Kurumu slowly taking to the skies. Her black wings and whip like tail caught his attention as something clicked in his mind.
School for monsters…girl who calls herself a succubus…holy crap…nobody's kidding! He looked back at the scene noticing Kurumu dive bombing toward another figure, a silver haired girl that gave Kyle the chills just looking at her. The girl calmly dodged, then countered with a roundhouse kick that shot Kurumu toward another patch of trees close by.
"I only did this because my race is dying out!" Kurumu yelled. "We succubae seek our Destined One out of large numbers of men we've hypnotized! Is that so wrong?!"
"Foolish girl," the silver haired girl purred, "I should make sure this won't happen again."
Kurumu sat, leaning against a tree she slammed into. "It won't, I promise!" She panicked.
"I know it won't. But to ensure it doesn't, why don't I just tear off those wings and that tail of yours?" Kurumu's eyes widened in panic as the girl menacingly walked closer. As the girl raised her leg to kick again, Kurumu braced herself for incoming pain.
But it never came.
Instead, a loud crack and a grunt of pain sounded in front of her. She opened her eyes and found the back of a boy's uniform, in a wide stance blocking the kick with his arms, in a double forearm block.
"That's enough," the boy's pained voice said as his left arm dropped lifelessly. Kurumu recognized the voice as Kyle's and gasped. "You've proven you can beat her," he continued, "Big fricking deal. Any more damage to her would prove you're nothing more than a sadist. Just back off."
"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that, American?" the girl snarled. "Don't you know what I am?"
"All I see is some girl who's too prideful for her own good. Monster or not, you need to learn self-control." A tick mark appeared on the girl's head. Unbeknownst to all of those present, Kyle's cross began to glow a dim light.
"I held back on my kick when you jumped in front of this succubus because it caught me off guard. Unless you want your head kicked off, I suggest rephrasing that statement." The girl glared at him with her deep red, snake like eyes.
"I don't care if you're a vampire, werewolf, or even the devil himself. Nobody manhandles those I consider my friends." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Besides, I can tell her heart was in the right spot. Try putting yourself in her position. Wouldn't you go to any length possible to ensure the survival of your race?"
The silver haired girl's eyes narrowed as she growled.
"I agree with him, Moka," a new voice said. Another boy in the full uniform with brown eyes and slightly messy hair of the same color walked up to the girl now identified as Moka. "While I don't agree with her methods, she had her motives, and from what I can tell, it was kind of justified. Wouldn't you do the same for the vampires?"
Moka's eyes shifted between Kyle and the boy for a few seconds before she fully turned to the latter. She walked up to him and snatched the silver cross out of his hand.
"Keep in mind, Tsukune," Moka growled, "I'm not like my other self. I only protect you because you're the only way I can get blood here. And you," she turned back to Kyle, "Be lucky that you only escaped with a broken arm. Because the next time you talk like that to me, or upset me in any other way, I will kill you."
Kyle smirked, "And I'll be looking forward to a good fight." With that, Moka put the cross on the chained choker, making her fall unconscious as her hair turned pink. Kyle's cross stopped glowing as he released a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He then turned to Kurumu.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Why…" she mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Why did you defend me like that?"
"Because I know you had your own reasons for doing what you did. I was looking for you so I could apologize for coming off as a nosy, insensitive jerk. I was also wondering if we could start over as friends."
Kurumu stared at Kyle like he'd grown a second head. As far as she knew, she had given him no reason to be friends with her. "I also agree the other guy here," Kyle continued. "Your heart was in the right place, but the methods you used weren't very effective, or…how should I put this…conducive to that end. Charming people with magic isn't real love. If you want to find your true love, then do it the old fashioned way. I'm willing to be a friend and help you as much as I can," Kyle held his good hand out to her, "so what do you say, princess?"
Kurumu stared at it hesitantly before taking it and helping herself up. "Thank you, Kyle," she muttered. Kyle gave her a cheeky grin.
"Let's get to the nurse's office. You're probably super sore from that fight, and this arm is hurting like a bitch." Kurumu looked at Kyle's face and saw tears pouring down his face. She smiled as all four of them walked off.
The next morning, Kyle was on his way to the main school building with his MP3 in his ears, listening to one of the few instrumental songs he had. It had been a day since he broke up the fight with Kurumu and Moka, and had a blue cast to show for it. He wore his uniform still, but instead of the dress shirt and tie, he wore a white t-shirt because his casted arm wouldn't fit in the sleeve of the dress shirt. He had his good arm in the sleeve of his green coat, but the side with his casted arm hung off the shoulder.
He walked down the trail, getting (and ignoring) another round of strange looks, and soon spotted Tsukune and Moka in front of the school gates. He was about to pass by them when he heard part of their conversation.
"The seal was talking to you?" Tsukune asked, surprised.
Moka nodded. "I don't know why, but she did. Do you think the seal is weakening?"
"I don't know."
"What're you guys talking about?" Kyle asked as he made his way toward them. The two nearly jumped at his appearance.
"Oh, hey," Tsukune greeted, "You're that guy from yesterday who broke up the fight."
"And got a broken arm as a reward," Kyle dryly remarked. "The name's Kyle."
"My name's Tsukune. This is Moka." He gestured to the pink haired girl beside him.
"I know who she is." Kyle sent a light glare at her. "So what's up with the cross?"
"It's what seals my true form." Moka replied. "Listen, I'm sorry for what my other self did to your arm."
"It's alright. It'll heal." He didn't get the chance to say any more as another voice interrupted him.
"KYLE!"
He turned his head and saw nothing but black. He also felt the ground come up to meet him. Noticing he couldn't breathe, Kyle began tapping his hand on the ground, going faster and faster when nothing was happening.
Kurumu had just tackled him to the ground and started smothering him with her…assets. Kyle's muffled shouts increasingly got louder until he eventually put his good arm under her chin and pushed up, gasping for breath.
"Seriously, girl," he panted, "Those are some serious WMD's you're carrying."
She ignored his statement and held up a small basket as he stood back up. "I made some cookies for you. Won't you eat them with me?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What's the occasion?"
"Remember when I said us succubae seek our Destined One?" She sported a light blush on her cheeks.
Kyle's eyes went wide as he connected the dots. "Is this going where I think it is?" he asked hesitantly.
"I've decided it's you, Kyle!" She put her hands up to her face as Kyle's jaw dropped.
"SAY WHAT NOW?!" he all but screamed.
"The way you defended me and forgave me sealed it! I've totally fallen for you!" She tackle hugged him again, sending him to the ground.
"WATCH THE DAMN ARM!" Kyle screamed in English. This is gonna be a long few years…
(1): Dobak: Korean for uniform; usually designed to look like a baggy long sleeve shirt with a V-neck ending at the solar plexus and with the bottom split in the side going up to the ribs. Pants are made of the same material and usually the same color.
(2): Dan: Term used for black belts older than 14. The term for younger black belts is Poom.
A/N: As far as specific points in time go, I never could find a solid spot for when the Kurumu episode started, so I just went with two weeks after school began, because it takes a pretty long time to charm the entire school, even with magic and good looks.
This story will still coincide with We Who Must Stand Between, but only in certain points if the plot calls for it. And believe me when I say there will be points like that.
But as far as this chapter goes, I'm satisfied with how it turned out for the most part. I will be getting multiple opinions on the chapters to follow this one, but let me know what you guys think of it.
Constructive criticism is welcome and flames will be used to make my epic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Above all, keep it appropriate and helpful to me. That doesn't mean going "stories good. plz continue." or just one word responses. Tell me where I can improve or tell me what part you like the most.